Old school v. New School divas

[Thedy B]

Why do all the old school artists like Jennifer Holiday, Aretha Franklin and Etta James get so upset with the new school artists like J Hudd and Beyonce? Here's a clip of Etta James getting mad at Beyonce for singing At last to President Obama???

[qdaiman]

many of etta n others generation fell that the word "diva" has been dumbed down to mean less than what it did back when they were coming up the HARD WAY. many of these women fought drug addiction, abusive relationships n so many other hurdles n have not fully recovered n r bitter. point blank these r battered n bitter old women that fell that the youth do not give them there props, they just sing n steal there songs. let's face it beyonce did sing a song that etta has been singing for over 40yrs. n beyonce just sung it in a movie n now is getting all the props for it. the song is etta's n we have to respect that...who didn't know that song before beyonce sung it...it was not an obscure song. it's like the dream starting to sing purple rain n they invite him all over to sing it for the president n such.

i love what jamie foxx did for the legacy of ray charles. he wanted to perlonge the legacy of the man he was honoring (not saying beyonce did not) but he was reluctant to sing the songs on shows the way ray sung them. thus seperating his version from the ray version.

etta has been through so much n her time that she can n will say what ever she likes about the state of a genre that she helped create. plus we don't even know the details of how the rights to the song worked out...or any of the business aspects to say who is wrong. why even care? i tend to agree w many of the older people...we do call people divas n devos jus based on attitude n not longevity n adversity. i still feel beyonce has earned this status but j hudd not even close give her 10 more yrs...she's only got 1 album under her belt.

[Necole Clout]

Etta is pissed at Beyonce and I don't know why she is mad at her. I mean she roasted Beyonce!!! A grown, OLDER women saying she is going to whip some A**! Come on now...GROW UP!!!!! She should be mad at the people who organized the inauguration Ball and asked Beyonce to come and sing the song. Many people are arguing that Beyonce should have extended the invitation to Ms. James. But we all know that Beyonce (the QUEEN of shine) was not going to do that. I can see the older women in the game getting a little upset with the younger girls because of their struggle. But they must realize that they opened the doors and now noone can close them on us. Artist are now having better representation and better contracts in place to protect them. I can almost bet you when Beyonce is 65 and someone plays her life, she is going to be PAID!!!!! If Etta was getting paid for Beyonce portraying her in the movie we wouldn't be talking about this right now. But she probably didn't get paid and now Beyonce is getting all these acolades for portraying her and singing that song.

And Jennifer Holiday, needs to sit it on down as well. When I say Jennifer Hudson is a really good actress and singer, it is not an understatement. The girl is talented with a capital T. And sometimes people out shine others because of their talent. I haven't seen Cadillac Records, but I have seen Dreamgrils and heard J Hudd sing No Way and she was awesome. The white folks in Hollywood would have never given her an Oscar if she didn't deserve it. We all know they just don't give them out...you have to earn sm Oscar! Jennifer Holiday should be happy that Jennifer Hudson represented her the way she did. That's how they should look at it. Women are always catty and envious of other dominant, talented chics. And it's really sad because these women are OLD. They had their time and we have the honor of calling them our legends. But they are acting soooo childish and it shouldn't be this way. Women need to start putting their emotions to the side!

[Jigabod]

YEAH BABY I KNOW IT!!!! I GOTCHO BACK ETTA!!!!

Aight, here's my beef-breakdown:

1. Etta James vs. Beyonce

What sense does it make to sing "At Last" when you ain even been AROUND that long? "At Last" means, "After a long time of toil". So let somebody sing it who has been around long enough to truly appreciate the struggle! Beyonce's a BABY compared to Etta! And a well-bred, silver-fed baby at that! That's almost like Michael Bolton leading "Lift Every Voice And Sing" at an NAACP convention! Not even Michael McDonald--- who I like to call Brotha Silk-Buttermilk--- but Michael BOLTON! You gotta have soul to sing "At Last", not just hit notes via operatic training, Baby Doe!

Jigabod's Pick: Etta


2. Mary J. Blige vs. Keyshia Cole

Believe it or not, I'm actually AGAINST Mary on this one. No matter how you spin it, Keyshia and Mary are cut from the same cloth. To not allow Keyshia to be involved in a tribute to Mary I think is a slap in-the-face to Keyshia. Keyshia's a very soulful, heartfelt singer up-from-poverty in like fashion. Not only that, but she's a humble artist that's growing in her craft; she doesn't need to be shunned by a veteran at this point in her career. In this case, Mary should take a cue from Fantasia and Patti Labelle: share your torch with the next generation, because she's your reflection.

Jigabod's Pick: Keyshia Cole



Overall, I do think older artists are sensitive about their work. But that's because the mindset of the craft back then was TOTALLY different than it is now. Back then, so much of one's self was poured into the music that it was considered precious to the performer as well as the fans. So it's hard to watch newcomers take up the mantle, especially if they don't do it right. Now, if done correctly and in the right spirit, I think covering songs is perfectly fine. Like QD said, what Jamie Foxx did for Ray Charles was EXTRAORDINARY and FITTING. But the attitude I often see is more, "We're better than/taking over old school" instead of "We're paying homage to/building on old school". And that's probably what pisses people like Etta James off.

God forbid Beyonce cover a Nina Simone joint at the inauguration; Nina literally shot a man for interrupting a performance! Who knows WHAT she'd do if she felt she was being disrespected!!!

[Jigabod]

Addendum: And of course, when I refer to "At Last", I need to amplify the poetic significance of singing THAT song at the inauguration. Though it's literally a love song, figuratively it's supposed to stand as a metaphor for the long road Black people have taken to GET someone like Obama in the White House. So to put a fresh, "new money" singer like Beyonce on the stand to sing it greatly undermines the illustration intended. It's like having Christina Aguilera sing, "This is a Man's World"... wait a minute. That actually happened! My bad...

It's like Souljah Boy giving a tribute to Tupac at a Black Panther meeting. It's like putting Marilyn Manson on "We Are the World". It's like... I reallllly like using analogies.

[Necole Clout]

I agree Keyshia should have given Mary a tribute (I love me some Keyshia Cole) but Monica is my girl too. From what I am understanding she did a great job at the BET Honors with the tribute she did to Mary. Monica has a powerful, beautiful voice and she held her own in the game when she was up against Brandy all those years. But when I tell you Keyshia has just as long as Beyonce to go to reach that Mary status, it is the Truth. Mary came to Atlanta twice in 1 year (with Jay Z and Robin Thicke) and both times had sold out concerts. People went to see her twice because she is the undisputable Queen of the new Hip Hop genre and one of the realist (sistas love a real sista who they can relate to...I guess that's why Keyshia gets so much love)! But I cannot agree with that pick. I love Keyshia, but she ain't no Mary!

And now Etta is talking about she was playing when she made those comments. She claims anyone who knows her, knows that she likes to clown around and have fun and she was just playing...uh..yeah right..

[Anointed Poet]

Yes this is a good point.

[Absoulute 100]

That was an awesome tribute to Pattie and I believe each artist who decides to do a cover should pay homage as well as Jamie Foxx and Fantasia did.

[Thedy B]

I'm just seeing this: wooowww that was powerful!

[Anointed Poet]

Okay here's my take on it. I feel that we have become a society who is not giving just due to the stars who made the classics what they are. I am personally not a Beyonce fan (I love... ) but I think that because of the significant meaning behind the song and just out of respect for the fact that Etta James is still alive, they should've asked Ms. James to sing it. Why do we always wait until folks are dead before we start giving them their just due? I don't blame Beyonce for this. I'm sure they paid her well for that appearance and she would be a fool not to take the money. But I blame the inauguration organization committee for not asking Etta James first.

We have become a society of remakes. Zapp feat. Roger Troutman, James Brown, The Dells, The Whispers, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Stylistics, The Delfonics, Etta James, Jennifer Holiday, The Spinners, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many more are all the victims of remakes. It seems to me that the song-writing talent pool has shrunk tremendously. We have got to start writing better songs and stop doing remakes. Let's hear some new stuff people. And to be honest the stuff I hear from young people nowadays is just not good music. It all sounds the same. There seems to be no creativity anymore. So what do they do? They remake a classic.

So why not honor the person who did it and allow them to sing it. Etta James dealt with some major racial barriers during her career and it would've been fitting to see her sing it there because not only can President & Michelle Obama say "At Last" but so can Ms James.

P.S. But Ms. James I have to say shame on you for not acting like the classy lady you have always been. I still love you though.

[qdaiman]

good comment i read a simular one on a music blog...one thing to note is that from what i've read by etta's fans, this was a mild rant compared to what she is known for. they say etta is a trip...but if she likes u she loves u.

i don't think we can fully grasp what this song has meant to etta james as a person n artist. it is her signature song...n she's still living...yeah that is just wrong...sees vindicated to say what ever in my book. to etta her legacy may be all tied up into that song. what a shame.

[Anointed Poet]

right

[Thedy B]

Well here's my take on it:

1. Shame on the older women! They are to set an example and they are not doing it with their temper tantrums. Lesson: grow up! Know that nobody can be you but you.

2. Be known for more than just one song then you don't have to trip about somebody doing "your" song. Lesson: don't be a one-hit wonder.

3. If the singer wrote the song, then they aren't being "robbed" of any money but are instead getting paid for every cover of that song. Lesson: write your own doggone songs!

4. Look at Dolly Parton v. Whitney Houston. Did Dolly trip that Whitney did a better rendition of I Will Always Love You than she did. No, Dolly said I'm glad. And Dolly collected mad money from Whitney's version.

5. Paying homage: These artists/movies are paying homage to these older artists. Oprah just did a legends ball and all of these artists paid tribute and gave respect. Beyonce paid tribute to Etta before this.

6. Beat up the woman v. the man - women get on my nerve with the whole, I'm going to beat up the woman rather than the man who is playing them both. How does this apply: why should Etta be mad at B for doing her song rather than the inauguration committee who asked her to do it.

7. Pass the torch: you can't hold on to anything. Learn to let it go. Beyonce wouldn't have even been asked to do the doggone song if she didn't do a doggone good job of singing it or if she wasn't as popular as she was... They didn't ask Betty Nobody to do it.

8. Stop hating and start celebrating: if it weren't for some of these cover songs and cover artists, we would completely FORGET who half these older artists are. Be glad that someone even wants to put your music back in the limelight.

9. Write more songs: I agree: we need some new original songs. But just know that if the song is a hit, somebody later will come along, actually like it, and lord forbid, they just might sing or remake it :-)

10. If you got a mini-me, create some more! I understand not being compared to others. It's something that I hate too. I love being original. But the truth is: you can't really stop imitators from imitating. Put them on blast. Then what? I mean really if you are on top of your game, then they will always just be playing catch up.

So Jazmine Sullivan gets compared to Lauryn Hill. Lauryn, where you at? Jazmine, do your thing girl. Lauryn we your fans are still waiting for you!

Keyshia gets compared to Mary J, her voice is not the same as Mary and comparatively her songs don't move me as much as Mary J. Stop tripping Mary, you got this girl!

Etta, love, you could have been picked like Aretha was picked to sing but honestly, Aretha didn't sound great. Love me some Aretha though!

I mean really there is enough love to go around. Geez!

And to Jiga's statement that At last was supposed to be symbolic of blacks finally making it to the promised land... I really didn't think that song selection was that deep... it was at the inauguration ball..Beyonce made the song popular AGAIN so it could have been chosen just because of its new found popularity... At last could have stood for anything: at last we won... at last as simply as love song...but even if it meant what you say it did, Obama has proven that he wants to bridge the gap between young and old... why not let the young ones participate in the ceremonies?